Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SNEIST, v., n. Also sneest, sniest, snist, snuist; sneyst. Pa.t. sniest. Derivs. sneester, sniester, sneyster, snuister, snister, snooster. [snist, snɪst, snəist]

I. v. 1. intr. To behave in a contemptuous arrogant manner, to be scornful or supercilious, show disdain. Also used tr. with at, towards. Hence sneyster, snooster, a harsh disagreable answer, an expression of contempt or indignation (Slk. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 206; Ayr. 1928).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 95:
Ne'er let her slights thy courage spill, Nor gie a sob, although she sneest.
Peb. 1793 R. D. C. Brown Peggy's Myll (1832) xxvii.:
Quhan ilka quene, frae spyt, that day Sniest to hir wi' a stutter.
Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 102:
Change-house chields sae sneist and snarl, When drink's the better.

2. In deriv. form: to laugh in a suppressed manner, to snigger (Fif. 1825 Jam.; Per. 1904 E.D.D.; Sh. 1971, sneester), to sneer.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (11 Sept.):
Dy letters, joy, were only spent, An' sniestered at.
Sh. 1967 New Shetlander No. 83. 26:
Shö wis wun tae a kittly bit an I wis kinda sneesterin an spricklin a grain.

3. To sniff, to snuffle (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. 1971, sneester). Deriv. snister, sneyster, a severe blast of cold wind in the face (Ags. 1808 Jam., Fif. 1825 Jam., sneyster). Cf. nizzer s.v. Niz, n., 1.Sc. 1819 J. Rennie St Patrick II. xiii.:
Hnuislin' an' snuistin' wi' the nose o' ye i' the yird.

II. n. 1. A taunt, a jibe, an air of disdain, impertinence (Lth. 1808 Jam.; Slk. 1825 Jam.; ‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence deriv. sn(e)isty, sneesty, saucy in language or manner, sneering, uncivil, tart (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Lth. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1971). Also adv.Slk. 1806 J. Hogg Poems 48:
Their sneists an' sneers an' fy-for-shames.
Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxix.:
“I'm to do nae sic thing as gang to Cupar,” quoth Tibbie, as snisty as ye like.
Sc. 1896 Stevenson W. of Hermiston v.:
The grieve's wife had been “sneisty.”
Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 115:
In castin joke, or sneist, or lauch.
em.Sc. 1924 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 105:
With compressed lips and in her “snistiest” tones.
Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
'E chiel glowert 'im up an' doon 'at snisty like.

2. A suppressed laugh, a snigger (Fif. 1825 Jam., snuister).

[Immediate orig. obscure but poss. ultimately connected with or influenced in form by sneeze, Snite, Snash. Cf. also Yks. dial. snaisty, cross, peevish, and Neester, to snigger.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Sneist v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sneist>

24821

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: